On Angel's Wings
by Wyrmseeker
Summary: Lucius has never had much luck with women, and Florina's afraid of men. So, when the two of them start drawing close, it can only be because she doesn't know he's a man. ...At least, that's what he thinks...
1. Chapter 1

Lucius paced outside the infirmary door. Part of him felt anxious, yet for the most part he was simply... disappointed. If only he knew how to use a staff himself, this could have been avoided. He had chosen the path of a monk over that of a priest—light magic over healing magic—so he couldn't treat Raymond's injury himself. If the time spent bringing him here had led to complications, he wasn't sure if they could heal Raymond properly.

Of course, if Raymond knew what he was thinking, he would growl, "If you used your light magic well enough, we wouldn't _need_ any healing."

Lucius sighed, and put his worries aside for the time being. He had more important things to worry about.

At last, the cleric emerged from the infirmary, her staff held loosely in her hand. She bowed respectfully to Lucius before speaking. "He'll be fine," she said. "His leg may have been too injured to walk on, but it's healing up nicely." She smiled. "If I may, brother, it was most brave of you to carry him like that. I don't think his life was in any danger, but it still shows great compassion."

Lucius returned her smile. "You are too kind, sister. Besides, it was Sain who brought him here; I merely carried Ray... Raven from the village until he and Kent found us."

The cleric let out a harsh laugh, catching Lucius off-guard. "Oh, wonderful! I wonder how long I'll have to put up with him bragging to me about that."

He had to smile at that, as memories of the skirt-chasing knight came flooding back to him. "Ah, yes. Sain is... quite the charmer, isn't he?"

"In his dreams, perhaps," she sighed. "And my nightmares."

Lucius joined her in laughter. Once they finished, she favored him with a warm smile. "Even so, Sain had a horse while you were afoot, yet you carried Raven for miles before you were able to hand him off. I'm most impressed."

"Thank you, Sister," Lucius said, bowing to her. "I'm just glad he's healing well."

She cleared her throat. "Lady Lyndis has been waiting to meet you for some time, brother. Perhaps, now that your friend is healing, you should go see her?"

Lucius hesitated. Raymond was his friend, and while the cleric said he was never in any danger, Lucius still hated the idea of leaving him. But Lyn was also his friend, one he hadn't seen in nearly a year now, and Raymond wasn't going anywhere. "Very well," he conceded. "Where is she?"

The cleric led him through the halls of Castle Caelin, from the infirmary where Raymond was now resting to the parlor. Lyn was already sitting there; she sprang up as soon as she saw him. "Lucius!" she said, smiling as he approached. "So Kent and Sain were right! It was you!"

Lucius bowed to her. "Lady Lyndis, it does me good to see you again."

"You as well," Lyn said, coming forward and shaking his hand. "And you don't have to call me that; Lyn will do fine."

Lucius found himself oddly relieved to hear her say that. Despite the short time he had spent with her and the others, he really had grown used to their company, and only now realized how much he had missed.

She nodded to the cleric, who bowed and exited the room.

She and Lucius sat down. "What brings you to Caelin?"

"That mercenary, Raven, and I were traveling through the area," he said. "We ran afoul of some bandits attempting to raid a nearby village. We managed to fight them off, but Raven took a bad blow to his leg. I brought him here for fear of it getting infected. I knew your doors would be open to those in need."

Lyn smiled. "And to old friends."

"Yes," Lucius said, returning her grin. "It really is wonderful to see you again, Lyn. I don't suppose any of the others are around? I've already met Kent and Sain, and I imagine at least a few others stayed after defeating Lundgren."

"Well, now that you mention it..."

"Lucius!" Lucius turned to see the young archer walking towards him with a bright smile. "Welcome back."

He took the hand Wil was offering and shook it vigorously. "It's nice to see you as well, Wil."

The two knights followed the archer into the room. "How is your friend?" Kent asked, taking a seat at the table.

"The cleric tells me he'll be fine," Lucius replied.

"Of course he will," Sain said, leaning back in his chair as a dreamy look came over his eyes. "Sister Tabitha is a wonderful healer. Why, only a true angel from heaven could be as skilled and as beautiful as she!"

Lucius let himself smirk before turning to Lyndis. "I must thank you all for allowing me to bring him here. You two, especially," he added, motioning to the cavaliers. "If you hadn't taken Raven on horseback, I don't think I could have made it."

Kent shook his head. "It was nothing, Lucius."

"Indeed!" Sain said, waving his hand. "Besides, Lucius, the truly amazing feat was yours! You carried that man across what must be miles of land. It's a good thing I took him for the last few hundred yards, or all the women would be tripping over each other to get at you right now!"

Lucius smiled, albeit not very widely. Sain's words were kind, but the way he lifted Raven onto his horse and held him up with little effort made the frail monk who had all but dragged him all the way from the village to within sight of the castle feel a bit inadequate. It was yet another reminder of how sickly, how frail, how... _feminine_ he was. In fact, he was sure that calling him "feminine" would make a good deal of females feel insulted. Not to mention Sain's line about women trying to get at him awoke something he had hoped was buried deep in his heart. He knew he would always feel sickly, inadequate, weak.

But his friends didn't seem to believe that. They all took their seats around the table, and within minutes, it was as if they had never been apart. Wil told excitedly of his rise through the ranks of the Caelin army, and Sain offered to show Lucius around the local villages, receiving a quick (yet somehow insincere) reprimand from Kent about being on duty. Lyn didn't want to speak of her experiences since the last time they saw each other, but instead reminisced about the adventures they had shared while trying to overthrow Lundgren, a fond smile crossing her face as she remembered how Lucius had appeared to assist Nils and the group in rescuing his sister.

Lucius himself said very little, as he was accustomed to. He congratulated the others on their achievements, and listened intently to their stories. When prompted to tell of his own adventures, he spoke carefully, revealing as much of the truth as possible without exposing Raymond's secrets. But though he didn't engage in the conversation too much, he realized that he felt very much at home here. Seeing all of these people again made him feel like he was a part of a group—like he had true friends, for the first time in a long time.

They continued speaking, joking, and catching up for several hours before anyone even came to tell them that night had begun to fall, and it was probably time for them to get to sleep. Lyn had guest quarters prepared for Lucius, assuring him that "Raven" would be fine in the infirmary for the night. He thanked her, and left, led by a page to his room.

Once he arrived and the page left, Lucius found himself merely staring at the door to the room. It had been a long day, yet he did not feel like going to sleep yet. He decided to explore a bit, take a look around the castle he had helped Lyn win back.

It took him about five minutes to get completely lost. He looked around, hoping to find either some identifying feature to tell him where he was, or someone who lived there and could guide him back to his room. Finding neither, he decided to forge onward, hoping he would find his way eventually. He went to a nearby set of stairs and began to climb it.

He emerged on the battlements atop the castle. He was surprised; he didn't think he had gone so far up. A slight sense of vertigo overtook him as he looked over the edge at the distant ground; he quickly pulled away.

He tried to get his bearings. At the very least, he now had a relative idea of where he was, since he could see the entire castle around him. All he had to do was find someone still awake who could guide him or at least point him to the guest quarters, and...

"Lucius?" The call made him jump in the air. He spun around, trying to identify the source of the voice—until it descended on him from above. A pegasus, milky white against the night sky, landed next to him on the battlements as the young girl riding it dismounted. She smiled upon seeing him, and bowed to him."It is you! Welcome to Caelin!"

He returned the grin and the bow. "It is good to be here, Dame Florina. And equally good to see you again. How are you?"

"I'm fine!" the girl replied cheerily. She brushed a lock of her lavender hair behind her ear. "Wonderful, in fact. Lyn is letting me stay here with her. Everything is so... nice."

"Even the men?" Lucius asked. "As I recall, you have trouble with..."

"I do," Florina sighed, cutting him off. "I still do. But Wil, Kent, and Sain are all so good to me. They respect me and leave me enough distance to feel safe. But they're so kind, I feel... comfortable around them. Well... more comfortable than most men, anyway. I really feel... at home here." Her eyes turned distant. "I sometimes miss the days when we all traveled together... but I am glad that the land is at peace now. I hope it stays like this."

Lucius nodded his agreement. He, too, sometimes yearned for the days when he journeyed with Lyn's group. To be among so many people, who were so friendly with each other, stood in stark contrast to his time spent with Lord Raymond. Even though he had only been with that troop for a short time, and hadn't really gotten to know any of them, he understood the sense of kinship of which Florina spoke. Seeing all of his old friends again, even ones he had only known for a short while, felt like coming home to him.

"What about you?" Florina asked, interrupting his train of thought. "How have you been?"

"Well." It was true—mostly. "I came here because my friend was injured."

"Kent and Sain told me," she said. "But he'll be OK, right?"

Lucius nodded. "I believe Raven and I will be able to set out on our travels again tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Florina hesitated. "B-But... you just got back..."

The sudden stutter reminded Lucius that he needed to be careful around Florina. She was shy, especially around men. "I know," he said, lowering his eyes. "But Raven is... not a patient man. I don't believe he would be willing to stay for long."

"But you would?" She looked up at him.

He gave her a soft smile. "If I could, yes."

She paused. "Well, maybe... you c-could convince him to stay for a little while?"

Lucius turned away for a moment. "I don't... I don't think so..." he thought. "But maybe..." He looked back at Florina. "The cleric told me that Raven wasn't in any danger, yet I feared that his wound might become infected, or worse. If we hadn't made it here, he could have been in real trouble."

"So... he owes you a debt of gratitude?" Florina asked.

Lucius grinned bitterly. "I did what I did because he was my friend, and because I am a monk of St. Elimine. He owes me nothing." He looked up at the night sky. "Marquess Caelin, however... he opened his doors to us and let Raven be healed, simply by word from Kent and Sain that they knew me. Lord Raven is stubborn, but I may be able to convince him that he owes the Marquess for helping us." He smiled at Florina. "Besides, we've been wandering aimlessly as mercenaries these past few months. Staying and working here for a while might do us both some good."

Florina smiled gratefully. "That would be wonderful, Lucius!" She paused. "I'm sorry if I'm acting strangely, but..."

"You're not," he assured her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Everyone has been happy to see me, and I'm equally glad to be back with you. The time we spent together was short, but I feel it made a lasting impression on all of us. And so we rejoice to be united once again."

Florina nodded. "Y-Yes... that must be it. What is it they say... 'absence makes the heart grow fonder...'?"

Lucius remembered her shyness, and quickly removed his hand. "Yes," he sighed, "It would seem so."

They stood in silence, looking over the battlements at the darkened skies of Caelin.

After a time, Florina looked up at her companion. "...Lucius?"

"Yes, Florina?"

"...what were you doing up here?"

"Ah. Hrm." He blushed a little. "Well, to be perfectly honest, Dame Florina, I'm... lost."

"Lost?"

"Yes, I felt like taking a walk before trying to sleep, and... well, there are so many hallways... and..."

Florina let out a soft laugh, but only briefly. "I'll help you, Lucius," she said. "I was just taking Huey out for an evening flight before putting him to stable, but I can help you find your way. Are... are you staying in the guest quarters?"

"I am," Lucius said.

"That's right down this way!" Florina started towards the staircase. "Come on, follow me."

He did so. She led him through the winding corridors and he was soon right back where he started.

"Ah," he sighed. "Thank you, Dame Florina."

"You're welcome," she said with a smile. "You... you'll talk to your friend about staying here?"

'I'll try," he replied. "I can't promise anything, but..."

"It's OK," Florina said. "I understand if you can't change his mind. ...but it'd be nice to have you around again." She started to go.

"Good night, Florina," he called.

"Good night," she responded with her characteristic soft smile.

It had been a long, trying day for Lucius; no sooner did he enter the room and lie on the bed than sleep overtook him.


	2. Chapter 2

Lucius could hear Raymond's shouting even from inside his quarters. "Imbeciles!" he was yelling. "You idiotic, stupid, smoke-for-brains _imbeciles_! It's a miracle you can hold your breakfast plate, let alone this castle! Were I with the enemy, I swear I'd be able to take down half of you before I was even scratched myself!"

Lucius let out a sigh. He had been fast asleep, and hoping to get more, but Raymond's shouts ensured that wasn't about to happen. He began to rise and dress himself, pulling his white monk's robes over his pale form. He went over to the basin to wash up; as he approached, he saw his own face reflected in the water, and shut his eyes. His condition had been worsening of late, as if he wasn't frail enough already. Sister Tabitha had done what she could, but whatever ailed him was beyond her ability to detect and control. As his bishop had told him years before, he had a sickness of the soul, and no idea how to cure it. All he could do was try to heal the pains and afflictions of others.

As he was trying to do now, as he moved through the halls of Castle Caelin as quickly as his legs would allow. The fresh air washed over him as he exited the castle, warming his sickly soul even as the morning sun warmed his skin. These past few weeks in Caelin had done him good, and though he was still beset by his disease, seeing his friends again gave him the strength to fight it off.

_And yet still my condition worsens_. He couldn't help but wonder about that.

He finally emerged into the castle's courtyard, where Raymond was still yelling, purple-faced, at a group of Caelin swordsmen wearing expressions ranging from fear, to sadness, to outright hate. "Do you even know how to use a sword? When you're attacked from that angle, you block like _this_, fool! You-!"

"Raven?" Lucius said, his voice calm, but still firm enough to carry across the courtyard.

The young man spun around to face him, his eyes red with unbridled rage. "_What?_"

"It's fairly late in the day," Lucius stated calmly. "Perhaps it's best we break for lunch."

Raymond glared at him for a moment, fuming, then looked up at the sun. "You're right," he growled. "It is getting later." He waved his sword at the Caelin soldiers. "You lot, get out of my sight."

They shuffled off, not a few grumbling to each other and casting hateful glances back at Raymond. The young heir to House Cornwell glared back at his friend. "And where have you been all morning?" he spat. "Dozing?"

Lucius lowered his eyes. "I've been ill, my lord. You know that. I was resting."

"Resting. Pah." Raymond glared around at the castle. "That's all you ever do—and that's all _I _ever do, at that. Lucius, when will you convince that fossil that it's time to let us go?"

Lucius's eyes narrowed, but only slightly. "My lord, it was the healers of Caelin that saved your life."

"A vulnerary would do the same, had you the foresight to bring one! Or, if you'd just learn how to use a bloody _staff_…"

"Nevertheless, it was they, not I, who saved you," Lucius continued, his tone unchanging. "You are the one who agreed to assist in the training of House Caelin's troops to repay the Marquess for his generosity."

"I'd sooner be out of here and done with that sorry lot than accept any more generosity from that old goat."

"Lord Raymond…"

"How many times have I told you never to call me that?" Raymond spat. "It's Raven now. It will be Raven forever now."

Lucius shut his eyes. "You did agree to the Marquess's terms."

"Had I a choice, I would have told the old fool where exactly he could stick those terms," Raymond growled. "At least I can take heart in knowing we'll be out of here soon."

"And where will we go next?" Lucius asked plainly.

"Does it matter?"

_Yes._

"No," the monk replied. "I suppose not."

"Of course not." Raymond began to storm off toward the castle. "Well, if we're stuck here, I may as well eat something. Come if you wish."

Lucius turned, watching his lord disappear into the passages of Castle Caelin. Raymond was always like that. "Come if you wish. Do so if you wish. Stay with me if you wish." And yet Lucius knew—and suspected Raymond knew too—that there was almost no way he would ever say "no" to his master, not after everything he'd been through.

Almost no way.

He entered the castle, and promptly turned in the opposite direction from the one Raymond had taken. He worked his way through the halls—the few days they had spent there were enough that he no longer got lost as easily—and soon emerged out the front gate, walking towards town.

* * *

The nearest settlement was east from the castle, across a well-sized river just above where it forked into two. The sounds of rushing water faded into the distance as he approached the town's gates, and soon was replaced by the noises of bustling people. The market was at its busiest, and people thronged about the young monk as he made his way to nowhere in particular, the level of noise reaching a point where he'd normally have a throbbing headache. And yet, he felt better than ever. For some reason, being with all these people, all this humanity, made him feel so much healthier than when he traveled with Raymond. He supposed he'd have to stay here for a while. Especially since he hadn't eaten yet, and his stomach was beginning to protest that fact after the long walk.

Still, he was distracted from his hunger by the sheer number of _things_ available at the market. Some of it boggled the mind. Trinkets claimed to have been found in the Nabata desert, tapestries woven by the continent's finest artists, bones of creatures great and mysterious (although Lucius knew that the vast majority of them were likely fakes)—and that was just for starters. In fact, he found himself eyeing some of the jewelry on display at various stands. While he had little money with him, some of it wasn't terribly expensive, and he supposed it might make a nice gift…

His train of thought was forcibly derailed when he saw a familiar face in the crowd. "Florina?" he called. "Dame Florina?"

The lavender-haired girl turned at the sound of her name, smiling warmly when she saw the monk. "Lucius!" She started weaving her way through the crowd towards him. "What brings you here?"

He shrugged. "In all honesty, my own two legs."

She stifled a laugh. "Oh, really?"

"I suppose I just needed to get away from… away from the castle for a while," he sighed. "I thought I'd come into town, see what they have to offer."

Florina nodded, looking around. "It's really something, isn't it?"

He gazed at her for a moment. "Dame Florina, are you all right?"

She looked up at him, surprised. "All right? Why, of course! W-why wouldn't I be?"

"I seem to recall you being quite shy before, and…" he gestured at the massive crown thronging around them.

"Oh," she said, laughing slightly. "No, I… I'm all right. I'm not really _that_ shy, I…" she paused. "…ok, maybe I _am_ really that shy…"

He let out a small laugh.

"But it's all right," she said. "Mostly I'm only uncomfortable around… well, around men."

He blinked. "Men."

"Yes," she replied.

He lowered his eyes. "Ah, yes… now I remember."

She looked up at him. "Oh, but Lucius, I-"

"Fish!" a man bellowed suddenly, waving a rather smelly filet at the pair. "I've got fresh fish, straight from the port o' Badon! Fresh, delicious, cheap fish, just fer you two!"

Florina jumped back suddenly at the man's booming voice. "Er… I d-don't think…"

"Actually," Lucius interrupted, "I haven't eaten yet today. Dame Florina, how about you?"

"What? I…" She looked up at him, confused. "Er… n-no, I haven't had lunch yet…"

"I'll take some," Lucius said to the man, holding out a few gold coins. The vendor happily took the money, rewarding Lucius with one of the fresher filets he had available. "Thank you very much, ladies!" he called as the pair walked away.

Lucius winced at the words, but he tried not to let his annoyance show. He was a monk; monks didn't get angry.

"I apologize for that, Dame Florina," he said as they moved through the market some more. "But I thought the best way to get him to leave us alone was to pay him off. Besides, I am quite hungry."

"N-no, it's all right, Lucius," she replied. She was regaining control of her voice after the fish vendor had frightened it out of her. "I'm hungry too. Oh—but we have no way to cook it here!"

Lucius smiled. "Perhaps we do." He set the filet down on a counter, and then held his hands together, eyes shut in concentration. "You should take a step back," he warned.

Florina complied, watching the filet closely. Soon, a soft but very white glow appeared around the filet, growing more focused over time, until it was a flare almost too bright to look at. It lasted for only a second, though, and when it faded away, the filet was steaming hot and smelled delicious.

Lucius picked it up off the counter and handed it to Florina. "I've been experimenting with using low-power light magic for other applications," he said. "I like to believe the gifts of St. Elimine can be used for something other than killing." Florina took a tentative sniff of the fish as Lucius procured some plates and utensils from another vendor. "Shall we?" he asked.

They sat down at a table on the edge of the market and began to eat. "That's very clever of you, Lucius," Florina commented. "And this fish is delicious!"

"It's… adequate," Lucius agreed. "In my travels with Ray—Raven, I've had better, but I suppose that's to be expected, given that it's come all the way from Badon."

Florina finished her half of the filet as she looked up at him. "So, you and Raven," she started slowly. "You've traveled together a long time, have you?"

He nodded. "He and I have been together since… well, since our childhoods. I was friends to he and his sister for as long as I can remember."

"What happened to him?"

He blinked. "I… beg your pardon?"

"What happened to Raven? To make him… to make him the way he is?"

"The way he is…?"

Florina lowered his eyes. "I admit, I haven't seen him much, but he… he doesn't seem very nice. I see him yelling at the swordsmen he's supposed to be helping to train, I see him glaring at people as they pass him in the halls, I see…" she looked up at him, her eyes filling with a strange sadness. "I see him shouting at you, Lucius. Why does he do such things, if you're his friend?"

Lucius lowered his eyes. The truth—about House Cornwell, and Raven's vendetta against House Ostia—was too complicated, and Raymond had demanded it be kept secret. Besides, Lucius wasn't sure that was all there was to it, anyway. "Nothing happened to make him that way," he said at last. "He just… is."

Florina reached toward his hand, hesitating. "I'm sorry, Lucius… I-I didn't mean to…"

He shook his head. "Anyway, I haven't gotten a chance to ask you what you're doing here yet."

"Oh!" she said, sitting up hurriedly. "Haven't you heard? Lyn—er, Lady Lyndis—no, uh… Lyn's birthday is coming up in less than a week!"

Lucius sat up as well, surprised. "Really? No, I hadn't heard."

"Ah, well… she's trying not to make a fuss of it. It hasn't been long since she was reunited with her grandfather, and she's been so busy helping him run Caelin… but try as she might, she can't make us forget about it! She can stop her evil uncle from taking over her birthright, but she can't stop her birthday!"

Lucius laughed aloud. "No, I suppose not. So, you're here to…?"

"Buy her a present, yes," Florina said. "I've brought some gold—not too much, but enough to get something she'll like. At least, I hope she'll like it."

"Dame Florina, you know her better than nearly anyone else," Lucius said, smiling warmly. "I'm sure she'll love what you get her."

Florina returned his smile with a bashful one of her own. "Thank you, Lucius… but she won't like it much if I never pick it out." She sat up. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Er…" Lucius looked back to the west, toward the castle. "I don't know… I should probably be getting back, and I'm not exactly good at picking out gifts…"

"Oh, please? I'm sure Raven will be all right without you for a little while."

He hesitated a moment before nodding slowly. "Yes… I guess he will."

She smiled warmly at him as they turned back toward the market, soon enveloping themselves in the throng once again. Florina flitted from vendor to vendor, fawning over the goods they had displayed, and practically dragging Lucius about the market. While he wasn't exactly a connoisseur of jewelry, he had to admit, some of the things there were quite appealing. Fine works of brass and silver, with the rare showing of gold, lined the stalls, their prices ranging from mere beggar's change to something only the wealthiest of lords could hope to buy. Lucius was contemplating the wisdom of having such expensive items on display in such a public place when one in particular caught his eye.

As Florina gazed intently at each piece of jewelry on the vendor's stand, Lucius was drawn to a single pendant at the far end of the display. The pendant was formed of two finely sculpted wings, as those of an angel, both curled inward as if to protect something. And, in fact, there was something behind them; when he held it at the correct angle, Lucius could just make out the glint of a small gemstone, possibly amethyst. As he held it, he realized that the way the wings were curled inward gave the pendant the same outline as the traditional heart symbol, something he hadn't noticed before. Even to his untrained eye, it was obviously a fine piece of craftsmanship—not the most ostentatious or even beautiful piece of jewelry there, but subtly impressive in its form and detail, and, in his case, oddly appropriate.

"Interested?"

He looked up to find the vendor, a not entirely unattractive woman in her early thirties, smiling at him.

He looked down at the pendant, hesitating. "Er… how much is it?"

She told him.

His eyes widened. "That… is a lot."

"That it is," she agreed, "but it's worth it, I'd wager. Absolutely beautiful."

He furrowed his brow. "I don't think it's all that-"

"I wasn't talking about the pendant, dear."

Before Lucius could ask what she meant, Florina appeared by his side, peering over his shoulder. She frowned. "I don't know, Lucius," she said. "That doesn't seem like the sort of thing Lady Lyndis would like."

"Oh?" he said, a little dazed at her sudden appearance. "Er… no, I suppose not… well…" he cleared his throat. "We'll see."

Florina gave him an odd look, then shrugged. "Well, if you say so…" She returned to the other end of the display, searching for her own gift.

The vendor winked at Lucius. "Like I said," she whispered, "Absolutely beautiful."

Lucius blushed furiously. He looked down at the pendant, considering his options. Florina was right; Lyn wouldn't appreciate that sort of gift much at all. He wasn't even sure she'd be into jewelry to begin with. As a child of the plains, her interests were much more concrete and much less superficial. Besides, all the money he was carrying with him would just barely cover the cost, and he wasn't about to ask for more from Raven. There was absolutely no reason to get the pendant.

"I'll take it," he said firmly.

She smiled as he handed over his gold. "You're a wise lad," she said.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You can tell I'm male?"

"Of course!" she said, laughing aloud. "Who wouldn't be able to?"

He blushed again. "Half the population of the continent, for starters," he mumbled.

She stopped laughing, but smiled nonetheless. "Well, I wouldn't worry too much were I you, boy," she said. "Anyone who gets to know you well enough to matter will be able to tell, anyway."

He lowered his eyes. "Maybe."

She placed the box in his hands, and he turned away to spot Florina moving towards another stall. He quickly ran to catch up. "Find anything?" he asked, panting slightly from the exertion.

"No," she said, frustrated. "Actually, I'm beginning to think that jewelry won't do at all. Lyn was never into that sort of thing when she lived on the plains, and I doubt that would change just because she moved to the castle."

"Indeed," he replied, slipping the box beneath his robes.

"Hmm… perhaps…" she suddenly darted off toward another stall, leaving Lucius dashing to catch up once again.

* * *

"Well," Florina sighed as they approached the castle, "I suppose I can always go back and try again another time."

Lucius nodded. "Indeed. That place was so large, so busy, I'd be amazed if anyone could search it all in one day. And you can try the other nearby towns as well."

"That's true," Florina sighed. "I just wish I had found something today. There's not that much time left until Lyn's birthday, and…"

Lucius patted her on the shoulder. "I wouldn't worry too much were I you," he said. "As I told you before, you know Lyn better than anyone. You'll find something that's perfect for her."

She looked back at him, smiling warmly. "Thank you, Lucius. I-"

"Lucius!"

Both the monk and the pegasus knight jumped at the sound of Raymond's voice. The red-haired mercenary was marching towards them, his face betraying a mood slightly angrier than usual.

"Raven?" Lucius asked. "What is-"

"Where have you been all day? I've been looking all over for you!"

Lucius blinked. "I… I wasn't feeling well, so I decided I'd go into town, and see…" he trailed off as Raven continued to glare at him.

The mercenary let out a sigh, shaking his head. "All right, I suppose there's nothing wrong with that. But you let me know next time you decide to vanish like that, hear? I don't need to be worrying myself about you all day when I have more important things to deal with."

"Of course, Raven." Lucius's tone was even, but he was fighting to keep his voice from trembling—although he couldn't tell whether it was fear, or rage.

_I'm a monk,_ he reminded himself. _Monks don't get angry._

Only then did Raymond notice the young pegasus knight at Lucius's side. "Who's this?" he asked, his gaze fixing on her suspiciously.

"Her name is-"

Raven cut him off with a glare. "Can she not speak for herself?" He looked back at Florina, expectantly.

"M-my n-name is F-Florina," she said, trembling visibly under his gaze. "I-I'm one of L-Lady Lyndis's r-retainers…"

"I see," he said. "And you were accompanying Lucius today?"

"Y-yes…"

He paused. "Well," he said. "I suppose I should thank you for keeping an eye on this fool." He turned his back on the two. "They've just announced that dinner will be served soon. I'd suggest getting a move on if you don't want to be late."

He started off, and was soon out of sight. Lucius turned to Florina. "I'm sorry," he said softly.

She closed her eyes. "He sh-shouldn't be talking to you l-like that," she said, trying to bring her stammering under control.

"Nor you," he sighed. "But Raven is… intense."

"I know," she said, looking up at him. "But Lucius, you're not. You're… you're gentle, and kind." She looked back to where Raven had been standing. "…and you shouldn't be with someone like that."

He furrowed his brow. "Dame Florina, I-"

"I'm sorry," she said, turning away from him suddenly. "I know I shouldn't judge him; he's your friend, and anyone you like can't be all bad." She walked away, then suddenly looked back. "Lucius?"

"Yes?" he said, too startled to say anything else.

"It's just 'Florina.' You don't have to call me Dame."

Before he could say anything else, she was gone, trying to hide the tears she was wiping away.


	3. Chapter 3

"This is getting to be a habit with us," Raven growled as Lucius hauled him in the door.

"Look on the bright side," Lucius panted. "At least this time I was able to carry you a little better."

"Oh joy," Raven said.

"And you're still conscious."

"Of course. Because the only thing better than being dragged across a half-mile of plains to the castle when you're knocked out is being dragged over a half-mile of plains to the castle while you're still awake."

"Hey, if you don't _want_ me to carry you…"

"The bastards went for my leg again," Raven sighed, shaking his head. "Exact same place as before. It's almost like they knew I had been injured there."

"They probably did," Lucius grunted, hoisting Raven up the stairs to the infirmary. "I think that was the same group of bandits that we confronted several weeks ago, when we first came to Caelin."

"What?" Raven looked up at him. "Are you serious?"

"I recognized their leader. And I think he recognized us as well."

"Oh, that's wonderful! Injured leg, dragged across the plains, _and_ we have a bandit leader out to get us!"

"It hasn't been our best day," Lucius admitted. "Although I think we fared admirably against the bandits, don't you?"

"Admirably," Raven agreed. "But not perfectly. A lot of them got away, the leader included. I wouldn't be sure this is the last we've heard of them."

"Well," Lucius said. "Maybe this time your leg will have a chance to heal."

"With our luck, I doubt it."

Lucius leaned against the infirmary door until it finally fell open. Sister Tabitha looked up at the noise, gasping when she saw Raven. "Not again!" she cried.

Raven sighed. "I come in here, my leg a bloody mess, and all you have to say is 'not again?' Lucius, are you sure we're out of vulneraries?"

Tabitha glared at him. "Lord Raven, if you really don't want my help, then you can just…"

Raven held up his hand. "Peace, Sister. I'm sorry, I spoke in jest; I didn't mean to offend you. Of course I want your help." He winced as Lucius helped him onto one of the beds. "It beats waiting for this thing to heal on its own."

She continued to glare at him, but couldn't help but soften her features somewhat at his apology. "Well… all right. But try to hold still; this may sting a little."

"Of course it will."

Lucius sat down on another as Tabitha left, quickly returning with bandages, salves, and a few other healers. She produced a blade and sliced open the leg of his pants, revealing a sizeable gash across the side of his leg. Lucius began to feel a little dizzy as she and the others began treating the wound; he wished he could say it was the sight of blood (although he'd rather not admit that under most circumstances), but unfortunately, he knew better. After a few minutes, he called out, "Tabitha?"

She came over to him, a concerned look on her face. "Lucius? What's wrong?" She studied him for a moment. "You look pale…"

"I always look pale," he said, smiling weakly. "How is he?"

"He should be fine. It's not nearly as bad as it the last time you brought him here."

"Well," he said, shifting uncomfortably, "If he's going to be all right, maybe you can take a look at this?"

He pulled back his robes, revealing that while the outside was still mostly white, the inside had a well-sized red spot on it. Tabitha gasped. "Lucius, you're bleeding!"

Raven looked up, teeth gritted against the pain. "What?"

"It's nothing," Lucius said. "…Well, all right, not nothing, but it was more important to make sure Raven was all right. This isn't life-threatening."

"I'll be the judge of that," Tabitha said sternly, pushing him down. The blood was coming from a small wound just above Lucius's waist. She shook her head. "Looks like an arrow wound, but it's not terrible. I should be able to take care of this quickly."

The blood was oozing out, which Lucius guessed was better than pouring, but nevertheless, Tabitha went about the task of healing him up with her usual alacrity. In a few moments, she had applied several salves to the wound and bandaged it up. "How's that?"

"Better," Lucius said through gritted teeth. "Except for all the stinging."

"That just means the ointment's working. It'll feel better in a minute or two." She looked back at Raven. "How about you?"

"I'm better," Raven grunted. "Doubt I'll be going anywhere for a while, though. How about him?"

"He'll be fine," the healer replied, looking down at Lucius once more. "As I said, the wound wasn't terrible, and now that we've gotten it patched up, it should heal fairly well."

Raven shook his head. "How on Earth did you even get injured? And an arrow wound? There was only one archer there, and I can't even remember him getting a single shot off."

Lucius nodded. "No, but he tried. I saw him nock an arrow to his bow, and pull it back. He was aiming toward… he was aiming pretty high. I grabbed him, tried to stop him, and I suppose that one of his arrows poked me."

The red-haired swordsman blinked. "You grabbed him?"

"Right."

"And you didn't attack him with your magic because…?"

"If he had been startled by a magic attack, he might have released the arrow by accident," Lucius replied. "By grabbing him, I ensured he couldn't shoot any of our men."

Tabitha shook her head. "And you got the arrow in your gut instead. You're lucky it didn't go any deeper. Or any higher. Or…"

"I get it," Lucius interrupted. "I'm lucky."

"And stupid," Raven added.

Tabitha pursed her lips. "I have to agree with him there, Lucius. Even if he had managed to his something with a light magic spell going off in his face, any of our knights could have taken the hit without much trouble. You, on the other hand, are unarmored and physically… er…"

"Frail," he finished for her.

"…I'm sorry," she said, lowering her head.

"It's all right," he sighed. "I… I'm used to it by now."

"Then you should know better than to do something like that. You could have been seriously hurt if he had managed to attack you more directly. Why would you risk yourself like that?"

He blinked. "Dame Florina…"

Tabitha drew back. "What? You… you did it for…?"

"No," he said, pointing. "She's behind you."

Tabitha turned to find she was face-to-face with the pegasus knight. "Oh! Dame Florina! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were there!"

Florina was smiling meekly. "Don't worry, Tabitha, it's all right. I just wanted to see how Lucius was doing. Raven was injured, and while we pursued the bandits, they…"

"Of course. They're both here." She stepped aside, letting Florina see her two patients. "Raven's leg is in bad shape, but it should heal as long as he doesn't strain it too hard in the next few weeks. Lucius was wounded, too…"

"What?" Florina took a step forward. "How…?"

"Oh, the fool tackled an archer to keep him from firing," Tabitha sighed. "Got wounded by one of the arrows. It's not a bad wound, but I still want to… Dame Florina?"

The pegasus rider had already brushed past Tabitha and stood by Lucius's bed. "Are you all right?" she asked, her soft voice filled with concern.

"Of course I am," he said, smiling up at her. "I lost a little too much blood for my taste, but I'll be all right. Tabitha is a most skilled healer."

Florina nodded, returning his smile. "That's good. When you left with Raven, I-I had no idea you were hurt…"

"The fool carried me all the way up here while bleeding out a chest wound," Raven grumbled. "You'd think someone that bookish would know better."

Florina looked over at him, startled by the sound of his voice. "O-oh…" she stammered. "L-Lord Raven… I d-didn't realize y-you were…"

"That's all right," he said, lifting himself into a sitting position. "I'm actually glad you're here, Dame Florina. I've been meaning to talk to you."

Her eyes widened in equal parts confusion and apprehension. "You… you h-have?"

"Yeah," he said, and took a breath before going on. "Look, I… do you remember the other day, when you and Lucius returned from the market? The tone I used with you then was too harsh. I'm sorry."

Florina blinked, surprised. "I… what?"

"I'm sorry. I was upset because Lucius had been gone all day, and I was worried." He lowered his eyes. "In case you hadn't guessed, I'm not very good at making friends. I'd hate to lose the closest one I have. Nevertheless, I shouldn't have taken out my frustration on you."

Florina clearly didn't know what to make of this, but she nodded anyway. "I-I… I see, Lord R-Raven. Thank y-you."

Lucius smiled at Raven. "Yes," he echoed, "Thank you."

Raven smirked. "Hey, I wasn't apologizing to you, Lucius."

"Even so."

Raven looked like he was going to say something else, but was interrupted when the infirmary door opened once again, admitting Sain and Wil into the small room. "Tabitha!" Sain cried happily. "What fortune that the course of my day should intersect with yours!"

Tabitha shut her eyes and began mumbling something. Lucius heard a few words he recognized from a prayer for patience.

"How're you feeling, Lucius?" Wil asked, approaching the monk's bed.

"I'm fine," Lucius said. "I was merely scratched by an arrow."

"It was more of a poke than a scratch," Raven called, "But I guess it sounds less impressive that way."

"That archer, eh?" Wil shook his head. "I saw you tackle him, Lucius. You know I could have handled him, right?"

"I know," Lucius responded, "But I like to do things on my own once in a while."

Florina lowered her eyes. Sain glanced over at her. "Something the matter?"

She shook her head. "No… no, nothing." She looked up at Lucius. "I'm going to go check on Makar at the stables. Can we talk later, Lucius?"

He furrowed his brow. "Er… yes, of course, Florina."

She smiled at him, but there was something off about her expression. "Thank you." She turned and left without another word.

Lucius frowned, but his thoughts were interrupted by Raven's voice. "Well, how did Lord Hausen take the news?"

"You mean the news that we sent those fiends running for their very lives?" Sain asked.

"I actually meant the news that some of them got away," Raven said. "When he heard the bandits were attacking the same village as before, he did request we ensure they never do so again."

"Oh. Right."

"Not as many got away as you'd think, though," Wil interjected, smiling. "We managed to pick off a few of them as they fled. Unfortunately, we lost track of them in the mountains, but I'd still estimate their losses to be about half their total force. They'll certainly think twice before attacking a village under House Caelin's protection again."

"Aye," Sain affirmed, clapping the archer on the back. "Now that they've seen what our men can do, they'll keep their distance."

Raven smiled. "I did mean to say," he said, "Your men performed admirably today. Tell them that I said they've done well."

Sain looked surprised, but nodded. "I'll be sure to do so, Lord Raven. I'm sure it will mean a lot to them."

"Well," Lucius said, "You're just apologizing to everyone today, aren't you?"

"As I said before, I'm not apologizing to you, Lucius."

"In any case," Sain interrupted, "It's good to see that you're both all right." He smiled at the monk. "And this time you didn't even need my help to carry him. I suppose I'd best be careful, Lucius; you might yet show me up!"

Lucius smiled a little. "I doubt you're in any danger of that, Sain, but thank you."

"What about you?" Wil asked, looking over at Raven. "That bandit looked like he got you in the leg pretty good."

"I'll be all right," Raven grumbled. "As soon as the healers break out the staves already."

Tabitha pursed her lips at him. "As you well know, magical healing can't solve everything, Lord Raven. It's merely a stopgap to keep you from dying until your natural healing takes over."

"I _know_ it's a stopgap," Raven said, smiling. "There's a pretty sizable gap in my leg, and I'd like it to be stopped."

Everyone had to laugh at that. "I was afraid you didn't have a sense of humor!" Sain said between chuckles.

Raven shrugged. "I'm human. Even I laugh."

"Sometimes," Lucius added.

The ribbing continued until Tabitha put a stop to it. "All right, everyone," she called, "I'm afraid I need you to leave. Raven needs to rest if that leg's going to heal properly. The rest of you should go. It's been a long day."

Lucius sat up. "Me, too?"

"Yes, Lucius, you should be fine. Try not to get your blood pumping too hard, and check the wound later just to make sure. If anything else happens, let me know immediately."

"Of course, Sister," he replied, smiling. "Thank you." He quickly got up and walked out the door, followed by the others.

"You coming to dinner, Lucius?" Wil asked as he and Sain started down a different hallway.

"In a moment," Lucius called back. "I need to find Florina first."

"All right," Wil called. "Don't be late!"

Lucius had grown familiar with the passageways of Castle Caelin by now. Where they were once unfamiliar and labyrinthine, they now felt almost comfortable. Reflecting, he realized that this was perhaps the longest that he and Raven had stayed in one place since House Cornwell fell all those years ago. It was odd; they had been wandering for so long, and yet now, after spending just a few weeks in one place, it almost felt like… like home. Even Raven seemed more comfortable than he had ever been. While not always hostile, he had never seen his master so amicable as he had been today, apologizing for his treatment of both the Caelin swordsmen and Florina. He wondered if Raven, too, wasn't starting to feel differently; if he no longer viewed Caelin as a place where he was stuck, but as a place that he might stay; if he no longer saw Hausen as a fossil, but as a benefactor. Perhaps they could speak of it later, but Lucius wasn't sure if he should push his luck. Raven was in a good mood; perhaps it was best to leave it at that.

He emerged outside the castle and made for the stables. As he entered, he spotted Florina tending to her mount, Makar, in one of the larger stalls. Oddly, he noticed another pegasus in another stall nearby, but he didn't think much on it. Perhaps there was another pegasus knight in employ there, one he hadn't met yet. Right now, he had more pressing concerns; the thought of meeting Florina out here, alone, excited him more than he as a monk would care to admit. He cleared his throat to make his presence known. "Florina? You wished to see me?"

She looked up, slightly startled by his words. When her eyes met his, he was surprised to see that their usual warmth was accompanied by a strange sadness. "Oh, Lucius… thank you for coming. I want to talk to you."

He took an uncertain step forward. "About what?"

She stood, hesitating, not meeting his eyes. It took her a while to speak. "…Lucius, I know why you did that. Why you tackled that archer."

He shrugged. "I did it so he wouldn't be able to shoot anyone."

"You mean so he wouldn't be able to shoot me."

He hesitated a moment before nodding. "…Yes."

The pegasus knight lowered her eyes, shaking her head. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Florina, I…"

"I can take a hit," she said, lowering her eyes. "I-I mean… archers scare me, and rightfully so. But I'm so much stronger now than I was when first we met. And an arrow would have to pierce m-my armor in order to… a-and even then, if I have a vulnerary, o-or if I can get to a healer, then…"

"It's still too great a risk," Lucius replied, shaking his head.

"And an even greater risk to you." She looked up at him, her gaze growing stern. "You have no armor. You're not like Sain, or Kent, or even Wil; you're vulnerable to attacks like that. If that archer had managed to attack you—not just scratch you with an arrow, but shoot you—you wouldn't have made it."

Lucius couldn't think of anything to say.

"I know you did it to protect me," Florina said, her voice soft. "And… well… I-I appreciate that. But, Lucius… you need to promise me that you won't put yourself in danger like that again. Not…" She took a breath, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Not for me."

He hesitated before shaking his head slowly. "I can't make that promise," he said. "Florina, I… I care about you. Were anything to happen to you… I'd never forgive myself."

"But that's the problem, Lucius. I feel the same about you." She lowered her eyes, sighing. "If… if you really feel that you must protect me… th-then at least allow me to protect you." She took a tentative step forward. "…Is that all right? We can k-keep each other safe…"

He hesitated. "I don't know how much longer Raven and I will be here, Florina. It could be we leave before there's even another battle."

"But i-if there is…"

He furrowed his brow. "Florina… I-I hate to think that I need your protection…"

She shrugged. "Maybe you don't, Lucius… but you have it anyway."

Lucius remained silent for a long time before answering. "…Very well. I can't bear the thought of you getting hurt, Florina, so if it's all right with you… I'll agree to this. As long as I can watch over you, you can do the same for me."

She surprised him with a warm smile and sudden embrace. "Thank you, Lucius," she whispered, laying her head against his chest. "I promise that nothing will ever happen to you as long as I'm around."

Lucius was too shocked to do anything but put his arms around her as well. "I know," he whispered back. "I know."

Their embrace seemed to last forever before Florina finally pulled away, flashing him one more smile as she returned to the castle. Lucius felt a great weight on his heart as he watched her go. "There's no way she knows," he said to himself. "There's no way."


	4. Chapter 4

Lucius started awake at the feeling of someone tapping his shoulder. "Get up, Lucius," Raven's gruff voice reached him. "I want to talk to you."

Lucius blinked the sleep from his eyes, sitting up as Raven took the chair across from him. "Lord Raven," he said, confused. "How long was I asleep?"

Raven shrugged. "I just found you like this now, Lucius. It's been a few hours since you came up here, I can tell you that much."

Lucius looked around. They were in the Caelin library; while far from the most impressive he had seen, it was still filled with shelves and shelves of books. Lucius quickly looked at the ones he had been sleeping on to ensure he hadn't drooled on them.

"What are you reading?" Raven asked, peering down at the pile of books surrounding the monk.

Lucius shrugged. "Religious texts, treatises on light magic, studies of magic in general… that sort of thing." He pointed out one in particular to him. "This is a rather fascinating and quite obviously fictional account of an old war between Bern and Etruria."

"What makes you say it's fictional?"

"Well, when the main character—a young boy from a quiet farming hamlet who has learned to use every single weapon and type of magic and manages to turn the tide of the war in Etruria's favor while simultaneously winning the heart of the beautiful princess—learned that he was descended from dragons and had special powers, I began to grow suspicious."

Raven let out a chuckle, but stopped when another book caught his eye. "What's this?" he asked, pointing to it.

Lucius hesitated before he pushed the book towards the mercenary. "A history of House Cornwell," he answered.

Raven narrowed his eyes. "Oh."

"The Caelin lineage appears to keep detailed records on other houses of nobility," Lucius explained. "I had hoped to find something useful in here, but it appears to have been written several years ago. There's little I can find that would pertain to Cornwell's fall."

"It matters little," Raven growled. "I know all I wish to about that."

Lucius looked at him sternly. "Lord Raven, you don't know for sure that it was Ostia. All you have to go on is rumors."

"And as you say, you can find nothing to deny that."

"Nor can I confirm it."

"Then it is, truly, all we have to go on. And go on it I shall." He sighed, lowering his eyes. "That's… that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Lucius. I just spoke with Lord Hausen, about the bandit attack the other day."

Lucius nodded. "Go on."

"He said you and I have performed admirably. …He said what debt I owed him has been repaid, and he shall allow us to leave whenever we so desire."

Lucius nodded. "…So, do we so desire?"

"I do, at least," Raven said.

Lucius lowered his eyes. "I see. I had hoped you were growing… comfortable here."

Raven shook his head. "I am, Lucius. And that's part of the problem. It's true that we've been here longer than any place since Cornwell. …But this isn't Cornwell. I can't allow myself to grow complacent, Lucius; I need to keep going. I'll be leaving in the next few days."

"You?"

"Yes, me." Raven looked at him intently. "Lucius… I can see that you've been enjoying your time here far more than I have. These people are strangers to me, but you… you fought with them, you liberated Caelin with them. And if you wish to stay with them… I will not stop you. I can go on alone, and you can remain here. It's your decision."

Lucius nodded slowly. "…I see. You… will continue seeking revenge against Ostia?"

"Of course."

"Then there is no decision. I will continue to journey with you."

"Do not make this choice lightly, Lucius," Raven said. "If you're only going to keep trying to dissuade me from seeking my revenge, there is little for you with me."

"And yet there is nothing for me here," Lucius replied softly.

Raven's eyes narrowed. "How can you say that? These people are your friends, Lucius. Kent, Sain, Wil, Lyndis, and… the pegasus knight. What was her name?"

"Florina," Lucius answered.

"They all care for you greatly."

"I know," Lucius sighed, "But it changes nothing. I will go with you."

Raven peered at him a moment longer before sitting back, sighing dejectedly. "So be it. But don't blame me when you start regretting this decision."

Lucius nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I wish to return to my reading. This is a detailed investigation into the Trinity of Magic, and I'd like to finish it before we leave."

Raven glared at him, but it did no good. Lucius's gaze returned to the book, and the mercenary fumed quietly.

They sat in silence for several minutes before the door opening startled both of them. They turned to see Lyndis entering, smiling at them. "Good afternoon, Lucius. Raven."

"Good afternoon, Lady Lyndis," Lucius replied, smiling. Raven gave her a curt nod of acknowledgment.

"I just spoke to Grandfather," Lyn said, sitting at the table with them. "You'll be leaving soon?"

"I'm afraid so," Lucius replied. "As much as I'd love to stay here, Raven and I have business to attend to. We'll need to return to the road quickly."

Raven nodded. "The sooner we get going, the better."

"Well, I'll be sorry to see you go," she sighed. "As will everyone else."

Raven gave Lucius a knowing look. Lucius tried to ignore it.

"But if you must go, you must go. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," Raven said abruptly. "We're fine. We'll be ready to leave in just a few days, perhaps less."

Lyndis nodded sadly. "…All right. Let me know if you do need anything."

"We will," Lucius said. "If there's nothing else, milady, I'd like to continue reading my…"

"Lucius!" Wil called. "So this is where you've been hiding!"

Lucius let out a sigh as he shut his book. "Never mind," he muttered. "It seems I'm in no danger of finishing this book after all."

The young archer entered with Kent. The latter bowed to Lyndis, smiling. "Milady," he said.

"Hello, Kent," Lyn replied, returning his smile. "What brings you up here?"

"We were merely seeking Lucius and Raven," Kent answered. "Word has spread that they are to be leaving soon, and we wished to say our goodbyes."

"That's kind of you," Raven interjected, "But unnecessary. It will be a while before Lucius and I are ready to leave."

"Ah, that's good! You'll be around for a few more days, then!" Wil came up behind Raven, peering at the Cornwell book. "Hey, what are you reading?"

Raven winced. "Nothing," he grumbled. "And isn't it customary to _lower_ your voice when in a library?"

"Oh!" Wil lowered his voice. "Sorry."

Raven let out a sigh. "Thank you," he said. "I'm sorry I snapped at you like that."

"Ah, it's all right," Wil replied, smiling. "We all lose our temper now and then."

_Now and then?_ Lucius tried not to smirk. He wasn't sure how successful he was.

"I'm not reading, anyway," Raven sighed. "I just came up here to check on Lucius. I should be going soon." He rose to leave.

"As should I," Lyn sighed. "I need to meet with Florina about something."

Kent furrowed his brow. "Come to think of it, where _is_ Florina? I haven't seen her in quite a while."

"Nor have I," Lyn said, crossing her arms. "I wanted to ask her about checking up on those bandits, but I haven't been able to find her all day."

"Actually," Lucius said, sitting up, "She's…"

"Lucius!" Florina called, emerging from the stacks with a hefty book in her arms. "I found…" She stopped short, seeing all the people that had filed into the library over the last few minutes. "Oh! Er… h-hello, everyone…"

Lyn arched an eyebrow at her. "Hello, Florina. Have… have you been here all day?"

"Y-yes," Florina stammered, walking forward a little. "I found Lucius here, and I th-thought I could read for a while, too… I m-must have been in the stacks wh-when you all came in…" She held up the book. "I found this… 'Practical Application of Light Magic…' I thought L-Lucius might be interested…"

"You don't need to be afraid, Florina," Lyn said soothingly, offering a warm smile to her old friend. "I was just looking for you, that's all."

Florina cast a sidelong glance at Raven. "I kn-know…"

The mercenary cocked his head at her. "Something the matter?"

"N-no," Florina replied hastily. "If y-you'll excuse me…" She dropped the book on the table in front of Lucius and promptly left the room, almost running out the door.

Raven furrowed his brow. "What is her problem? I apologized for snapping at her, didn't I?"

"It's not your fault, Lord Raven," Lyn sighed. "Florina is… quite shy in general. Especially around men."

"She's afraid of men?"

"Yes, exactly."

Raven looked around at the group. "So, she's afraid of men… yet she's fine talking to Sir Kent, Sir Sain, Wil, _and_ Lucius?"

"She is naturally apprehensive around us," Kent explained, "But she has had time to get to know Wil, Sain, and I. We've been together well over a year now, and while she's still shy, she's far more open to us. You, she's just met; she has yet to grow comfortable around you."

"I see," Raven said, nodding. "And Lucius?"

Kent furrowed his brow. "Well," he said, "Lucius did help us in the liberation of Caelin, and he stayed here for a short time afterwards… perhaps she's grown comfortable with him as well?"

Lucius pursed his lips. "Actually, I…"

"I dunno about that," Wil said, smiling slyly. "Sain mentioned to me the other day that he's been noticing something very odd going on between Florina and Lucius."

Lyn raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

" I know Sain has a habit of reading too far into everything where women are involved, but… perhaps Florina's beginning to gain feelings for Lucius?"

Kent's eyebrows also went up. "It's… entirely possible," he said, sounding almost shocked. "I have to admit, I hadn't considered that…"

Lyn looked at Lucius, half surprised, half suspicious. "Is that true?"

The monk found himself shaking a little. "I really think that…"

"It seems unlikely, though," Kent said, stroking his chin in contemplation. "Florina may not be as terrified of men as she once was, but she's still quite shy…"

"Pah," Raven said, shrugging. "The way he looks, she probably doesn't even know he's a man."

Silence fell over the group.

A shocked expression crept over Raven's face. "Oh… Lucius, I…"

"No," the monk interjected, smiling at him, "It's all right. You speak the truth."

Now Raven just looked confused. "I… what?"

"I… I fear I have thought on this at length," Lucius said, lowering his eyes to avoid Lyn's gaze. "Florina and I have been growing… quite close. Closer than I thought she ever could be to a man, and certainly closer than I ever expected to be to a woman." He spread his arms. "But when she hugged me the other day…"

Lyn's jaw fell open. "She _what?_"

"She embraced me. And then I realized… she's closer to me than she is to any other man, because she doesn't _know _I'm a man." He looked around. "It's the only explanation."

"It's _absurd_," Raven hissed. "I made that comment in passing, Lucius, as you should be able to tell; it's idiotic. How could she possibly miss out on the fact that you're male?" He turned to the others. "She has to know, right?"

"Of course!" Lyn said, firmly. "I mean… when you first joined us, you said you were a monk, right? And only men can be monks!"

"Dame Florina was in the air when I told you that," Lucius replied.

"Oh." Lyn fell silent.

"Well, someone has to have referred to you a male while she was around, right?" Wil started. "I mean, it's not like we could carry on whole conversations without referring to you as 'he' or 'him,' right?"

"You haven't since we arrived here, at least," Lucius answered.

Raven looked at him, surprised. "You've been _keeping track_?"

Lucius blushed. "As I said, I've been thinking on this a great deal. …More than I'd care to admit."

Kent stepped forward. "Well, I've yet to hear of a woman named Lucius," he said firmly. "I highly doubt Florina would think that you were female after hearing that name."

"Sain did," Lucius reminded him.

"…Oh." Kent blinked. "Right. That was… quite embarrassing."

Lucius, Lyn, and Wil nodded their silent agreement.

"Oh, come on!" Raven spat. "That doesn't prove anything. So what if one knight didn't realize your name was masculine? That doesn't mean Florina didn't! And just because you can't remember someone referring to you as male in front of her since you arrived doesn't mean it didn't happen before you left. This is foolish, Lucius! Of course she knows you're male!"

Lucius shook his head. "I would that were true. But I can't bring myself to believe it. There's no way she could grow that close to me if she knew I were a man." He looked down at himself. "…There's no way any woman could feel that strongly about me. Not in that way."

"Lucius…" Raven blinked uncertainly.

The monk looked up, smiling weakly at his old friend. "It's all right," he said. "I realized it some time ago, and have come to terms with it. Dame Florina doesn't know I'm male; that's all there is to it. In the end, it doesn't matter. I have more important things to worry about." He rose to leave. "Such as preparing to set out soon. I'm going to my quarters to start packing. Farewell, everyone; I'll see you all again later."

Nobody tried to stop him as he rose to leave. They didn't know what they could do or say to him; he seemed to have decided this to be fact, and nobody could change his mind. As the library doors shut quietly behind him, they looked at each other dumbly. "Well, now what?" Wil asked.

* * *

Lucius stood atop the castle wall, watching the glow of the sun disappear under a hill near Castle Caelin. All told, it had been near two months since they had arrived, and yet now he was in the same spot he had stood the first day they had arrived, where he had met Florina after getting profoundly lost. As the night fell, he looked up into the moonless sky, once again, just as it had been on that first night. He knew that he and Raven would be leaving soon, so the fact that this night resembled the first one there gave him a nice sense of having come full circle. Much as he may have desired to stay, it made more sense to move on. He had to keep an eye on Raven; besides, as much as he loved his friends, Caelin held little for him.

Footsteps alerted him to another's arrival atop the wall. He looked over his shoulder to see Raven standing there. "I was wondering if you would come," he said.

Raven shrugged. "Whether I like it or not, you're the closest thing I have to a friend, Lucius. I worry about you."

"You worry needlessly," the monk answered, turning back to the sky. "As I've said, I'm fine. I know Florina doesn't know I'm a man, and I've made my peace with that fact. It's not a big deal anyway."

Raven walked over to his side, following his gaze. "Then why are you out here, staring up at the sky?"

"I want to talk to her."

"Really?"

"Yes." Lucius smiled. "I guess you can go back now. You only came out here to tell me to do that, right?"

"Well… yes, I suppose."

"Lady Lyndis asked you?"

"Yes. But I would have done it anyway." Raven shook his head. "Lucius, you realize how implausible it is that Florina has completely missed out on the fact that you're male?"

"I do. But equally implausible is the idea that she could grow so close to me—even embrace me—if she hadn't. It's merely a question of which situation is more unlikely."

"And you believe it's the former."

"I do." Lucius sighed. "You didn't see her before. Even men who were absolutely polite to her, or who barely paid any attention to her at all, frightened her greatly. She did all she could to avoid them, and is only now comfortable with Kent, Sain, and Wil because of all the time she's spent fighting alongside them. If they were to get too close, I'm sure she'd shy away from them as well."

"She does care about you, though. Regardless of what gender she thinks you are."

"I know." Lucius smiled. "She's done so much for me, Raven… she's been so wonderful to me. Even if she doesn't know I'm male, I care for her more than I thought I could anyone. She came to me on angel's wings and showed me that I don't have to be strong or masculine to feel wanted. Even if she doesn't think of me the way I do her, she makes me happier than I've ever been. I can't help myself; I love her."

Raven remained silent. He could think of little to say to that.

After a few minutes, a white dot appeared in the sky; even though it was dark, the milky white fur and feathers were visible even at a distance. "That her?" Raven asked.

Lucius answered with a single nod.

"I'd best be going, then," Raven said. He turned and started down the stairs, leaving without another word.

Lucius turned back, watching Florina's pegasus glide through the night sky. After a few minutes, it turned and flew directly toward him. He straightened up, realizing she must have spotted him. A last-minute bout of nerves suddenly started, but Lucius quickly quelled the butterflies in his stomach. Florina deserved the truth; she deserved to know how he felt. Regardless of the outcome, he would accomplish that much tonight.

Florina's mount set down gently on the battlement next to Lucius. "Hello, Lucius," she said, smiling brightly. "How are you doing?"

"Well enough," Lucius said. "I'm sorry about earlier, in the library. People just kept filing in, and I couldn't bring myself to ask them to leave."

"It's all right," Florina said, blushing slightly. "I-I'm sorry I ran out like that. I know Raven means no ill to me, b-but…"

"I understand," Lucius replied. "As I said, he can be a little intense without meaning it."

"Still," she sighed, "I wish I had stayed. I wanted to talk to you more, especially now that I hear you'll be leaving soon."

Lucius lowered his eyes. "You spoke to Lord Hausen?"

Florina nodded.

Lucius took a breath. "Well, Florina, I wanted to talk to you, too. This… I think you may want to sit down. There's something I want to tell you."

She looked at him oddly. "Why? What is it, Lucius?"

"Please, just sit down," Lucius said, his voice softening. "This… this may come as a bit of a shock."

Florina hesitated, but seeing how concerned he was, she complied. She sat down on the battlement, and looked up at him, concerned. "What is it?"

"Florina," he said, "I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you this, but I feel you deserve to know. I…" He took a breath. "I'm a man, Dame Florina."

She cocked her head at him, smiling confusedly. "I know that, Lucius."

He blinked. "…What?"


	5. Chapter 5

"_S-Serra?" Florina stuttered._

_The healer glanced over at her. "What is it, Florina?"_

"_W-who's that?"_

_Serra followed Florina's gaze, and gasped as she saw the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. Long, flowing blonde locks cascaded to her shoulders, shrouded in a white robe. She clutched a magic tome in one fair hand, and her smile seemed to brighten the skies a little._

"_I don't know," Serra said, frowning, "But I don't like her. I try to stay away from girls more adorable than I am; I don't need the competition." She glanced at the pegasus knight. "Hmm. On the subject of which, I'd better get some distance between us. Ta-ta, Florina!"_

"_G-goodbye," Florina responded, her eyes fixed on the woman even as Serra waved goodbye. Something about the way she moved simply transfixed the lavender-haired knight. She couldn't recall ever feeling this way about anyone, let alone a woman. Not even Lyndis seemed as pretty as this girl was._

"_You all right?"_

_She turned to see the group's tactician giving her a concerned look. "O-oh," Florina said, "Yes, I'm f-fine."_

_The tactician followed her gaze. "What are you looking at?"_

"_Er…" she looked back at the blonde woman. "D-do you know who that is?"_

"_Of course," the tactician said promptly. "That's Lucius. Joined us to help save Ninian from those creeps that grabbed her. I have to say, it's nice to finally have a light magic user on our side, especially now that we're running into enemy shamans."_

"_R-right," Florina said,still staring._

_The tactician's brow furrowed. "Are you sure you're all right?"_

"_I…" Florina sighed. "She's very pretty, isn't she…?"_

_The tactician lifted an eyebrow. "I guess so. …For a guy."_

_Florina turned, startled. "A… a what?"_

_

* * *

_

"I'll admit, I didn't realize it at first," Florina said, lowering her eyes. "But it didn't take long to figure out the truth. I've known ever since, although I've seen other people make that mistake."

"I see," Lucius said, nodding weakly. His jaw was still hanging open.

"I mean, you're a monk, not a cleric; and I've never heard of a woman called Lucius before. And, well… your voice is…" She trailed off, getting a wistful look in her eyes before shaking her head, trying to focus. "…Deep. Well, deeper than you'd expect a girl's voice to be, anyway."

"Deeper… of course…"

She looked at him oddly. "You… you really thought I didn't know? That I thought you were a female?"

"Well, I…"

"Lucius, that's silly!" She was holding back laughter, and not entirely successfully. "I mean, it took me all of five minutes to realize this mistake… did you really think I could go all this time, all these months, without finding out? The very notion is… well, it's absurd!"

Lucius blushed. Raven had used the exact same term not an hour ago. "Well… I know… but…"

Her smile faded. "But what?"

"Dame Florina… I'm sorry, Florina… the way you act around me, the way you treat me…" He shook his head. "How could I _not _think you thought I was a woman? You can barely bring yourself to meet most men in the eyes, and yet the other night, in the stable…"

She blinked. "Oh… you thought, since I embraced you…"

"…Not just that, but yes." He lowered his eyes. "I realize how silly it was to believe that…"

He could almost hear Raven's voice. _Silly? Now there's an understatement._

"…But I couldn't help myself. Florina…" He tried to go on, but the words caught in his throat. "I… You need to know that…"

She looked at him, worried. "Lucius? …Are you all right?"

Lucius, unable to find the right words, decided it was time for a different approach. One hand reached into his robes, almost involuntarily, and emerged as a fist clenched around something. He opened his hand, and the angel wing pendant dropped out, dangling from his fingers.

She gasped at the sight of it. "Lucius...! You…?"

"I got it for you," he whispered. "I didn't think I'd be able to give it to you… I thought you'd reject me…"

Tears were beginning to well in her eyes as she looked up at him. "Reject…?"

He cleared his throat. "Florina… I bought this pendant as a token of my affection for you. …Affection, I fear, that has grown into love." He blinked; his eyes were beginning to tear up, too. "I thought… no. I _hoped_ you didn't realize I was male; that this was all some big misunderstanding, and you'd turn me away, and I'd be able to put the thought out of my heart. I thought a woman like you could never love someone like me, male or not." He shut his eyes. "Look at me… I'm more feminine than you are. And on top of that, I'm frail, sickly… weak. I can barely fend for myself; how could I care for another? …And how could another care for me, when there are much better men available?"

Florina was silent—not by choice, but because her words stuck in her throat. "L-Lucius…"

"I know how ridiculous it was to think you didn't know I was a man," he went on. "But I clung to that idea. Because if you did know… if you grew that close to me, in _spite_ of knowing… then there would be hope that you would return my feelings. And when there's hope, there's hope to be dashed. …I didn't want to feel hurt like that. And so, I chose the route I knew; the route so many others have taken with me. I chose to believe you thought I was female, as unlikely as it seems. Because the alternative was, quite simply, too painful to contemplate."

She looked up at him, his gaze refusing to meet her own. Silence fell over the two of them for what seemed like hours, broken only by the whinny of Florina's pegasus, still standing on the wall nearby.

Florina made the first move, as unlikely as that seemed to both of them. She stepped forward, hesitantly at first, then with confidence, then with purpose, until she was face-to-face with the monk. She took his left hand in her right, and his face in her left, gently pushing up his head until he was looking right at her.

"Lucius… I know you don't feel like you're as strong as most men. But… a stronger man isn't the same thing as a better man. Sure, Sain and the rest are more… well… manly than you." She shook her head. "But that's not what I want. …That's what scares me. I love Sain to death, and Kent and Wil, too, but they're still men. You… you're not like them."

Lucius nodded. "I'm feminine."

"You're _sweet_," she insisted. "You care about others… about me… more than I thought anyone could. After all…" Her hand dropped down, closing around the pendant. "You bought me this, didn't you?"

"It doesn't take much of a man to buy a gift for a woman."

"No… but it takes a great one to give something real along with it." She took his hand in hers once more, the pendant trapped between them. "Lucius… you came to me on angel's wings and showed me that I don't have to fear all men… that there are some out there that I can truly grow close to. …That I can grow to… to love."

Lucius paused for a moment before shaking his head, smiling to himself. "On angel's wings… Look at you, Florina. You're right here next to me, not even stuttering. Even though I know it's true, I still find it hard to believe you know I'm male. I'd guess I don't trigger the gut reaction you have to men, due to the way I look."

She looked offended, and was about to say something when he took a breath and continued. "…But there's something more to it than that. There has to be. Even if you thought I was a woman, you'd still be somewhat shy, somewhat reserved. Even with Serra and Ninian, you kept your peace most of the time, and when you did talk, you stuttered profusely. You're not treating me the way you do other men… but you're not treating me the way you do women, either."

She hesitated before nodding her agreement.

He lowered his eyes. "Florina… what I said earlier… and what you said…"

"Yes, Lucius?"

"I meant it when I said that… that I loved you." He looked up at her, his eyes full of fear, but also sincerity. "And you just said…"

She blinked, her brow furrowing. "I… I said you're the kind of man I could grow to love…"

The monk nodded, looking at her tentatively. "…So… do you…?"

She shut her eyes, and when she spoke, her voice barely cracked a whisper. "I'm s-sorry, Lucius… b-but… I d-don't know…"

An expression of equal parts confusion and disappointment crossed his face. "You don't know…"

"H-how could I?" She looked up at him, her eyes watering and her body trembling. "I've n-never felt love before… w-well, there's my family, of c-course, and Lyn, b-but… not l-like this… the way I f-feel about you… I've n-never felt it b-before…"

He nodded, lowering his eyes sadly. "It's all right, Florina," he said, trying to mask his disappointment behind soothing tones. "I know I have no right to expect you to return my feelings."

She shook her head vigorously, tears flying off her face and landing on the cold stone below. "N-no, Lucius… you don't understand… no, I d-don't know what I feel for you is love… but…" She leaned closer to him, her eyes drifting shut. "I think I know how we can find out…"

His lips barely had time to open before meeting hers. The kiss was as passionate as it was unexpected, and Lucius found himself falling into it the way he would in a deep pit, unable—and unwilling—to climb back out. He could feel Florina trembling still, but after just a few seconds, it subsided, and the only movement was that of their lips and their heads. The kiss seemed to last ages, yet Lucius didn't feel he had a chance to realize it was actually happening before she pulled gently away from him.

"Oh," she breathed, her face displaying a plethora of emotions. "Oh, wow…"

Lucius blinked. "I… I've n-never kissed someone b-before…"

She smiled. "N-neither have I," she whispered. "And stop st-stuttering… that's my job."

They remained silent for a while, looking into each other's eyes, the beginnings of a smile on both their faces. Lucius spoke at last, completely unsure of himself. "Did…" he hesitated. "…Did you like it?"

The pegasus knight blushed, the red on her face matching her lavender hair nicely. "I th-think so… but…" She drew close to him again, putting her arms around his thin body. "Maybe we should try again… just to be sure?"

He noticed she hadn't stuttered on that last thought. After that, he was rather distracted for a while.

* * *

"Well, all's well that ends well, as my father would put it," Sain said happily. "And I have to say, from the looks of things, it seems to have ended _very_ well."

"Yeah," Wil replied nervously, looking around at the others. They were clustered around a window in one of Castle Caelin's towers, watching the situation developing below. "Um… should we be watching this?"

"Oh, why not?" Sain stretched his arms. "Let's enjoy the fruits of our labors!"

Kent arched an eyebrow at his fellow knight. "What labors? We didn't do anything!"

"Well, not technically, no. But we did our best to convince Lucius that Florina knew the truth about him, didn't we?"

"Yes… and it didn't work. Not to mention we didn't even know that she _did _know the truth in the first place!"

"Yes, but we had to try!" Sain sighed. "Don't you get it, Kent? We as humans have a natural tendency to meddle! We wish to see our friends happy, and we do everything we can to make it so—especially if we can kill two birds with one stone by bringing them together in the same bush!"

"You're mixing your metaphors," Kent grumbled.

"But he's right."

The three Caelin knights looked back at Lyn, surprised. "I beg your pardon, milady?"

"I was just thinking," Lyn sighed. "Florina's always been afraid of men, and I've always done my best to protect her. Now she's gotten closer to Lucius than she has to anyone before, and I feel like I should be concerned."

"That's right," Wil mused. "I remember how protective you were of her when we first met. When she saw my bow, she was so scared, and you looked like you were ready to take my head off."

Lyn smiled weakly. "I wouldn't have gone quite that far, but I guess you got the right impression. I feel like I should be worried, but…"

"…Florina's been afraid of men all her life," Kent offered. "For her to fall in love with one, he must be truly exceptional."

Lyn looked at her retainer a moment before smiling at him. "Yes," she said, "I suppose that's it. That's it exactly."

Kent returned her smile, bowing to her as Sain looked at the two of them suspiciously.

Lyn's smile turned into something of a smirk. "Still, I'll probably give Lucius a stern lecture later on."

A brief chuckle passed around the group.

Lyn glanced at the only other person in the room. "What about you?" she asked.

"Hm?" Raven looked up. Instead of joining the others at the window, he had been leaning against a wall near the corner, his arms crossed, head down, and eyes closed. "What about me?" he asked.

"Your best friend's just fallen in love," Lyn said. "Don't you have anything to say?"

Raven shrugged. "What is there to say?"

Lyn sighed and turned away.

Raven lowered his eyes, hesitating, then spoke again. "Lucius… is the most stubborn person I know, even more so than myself. …That's what makes him such a good friend. He's never given up on me, even when I gave him little in return. Now, he's fallen in love with Florina, and…" he shrugged again. "I'm glad he's happy. That's all there is to it."

Lyn paused a moment before nodding. "Yes," she sighed, "I'm glad she's happy, too."

"We should go now," Kent said, stepping closer to her.

She looked up at him, smiling. "You're right. It's getting late, and I have a feeling those two wouldn't like us watching them anyway. Kent, would you kindly escort me back downstairs? I wish to speak with grandfather once more before I retire for the night."

Kent looked a little surprised, but quickly agreed. "Of course, milady. Right this way."

Sain looked after them as they left, aghast. "Since when does she need an escort to go down the stairs? And why does he get to be the one to give it to her?"

Wil rolled his eyes, smiling at his friend. "Come on," he said. "We should go, too."

He half-pushed, half-dragged Sain out of the room as the cavalier's protests faded down the halls. Soon, Raven was alone in the room. He took one last look out at Lucius and Florina, then left without a word.

* * *

Lucius and Florina parted for the second time that night. It felt easier than the first time they'd had to pull away from each other, and yet at the same time, they could barely bring themselves to do it. They were both breathing heavily, not quite looking each other in the eye; when their gazes did meet, though, a smile came to each of their lips. Lucius coughed nervously, as Florina brushed a stray strand of her lavender hair from her blushing face. They both stood in the longest silence they had experienced that night before Florina finally broke it.

"S-so," she asked, "What n-now?"


	6. Chapter 6

The attack had come without warning, without any reason for alarm until the sounds of marching feet and banging drums could be heard. Lucius was chatting with Kent and Sain when it started; the three of them all darted to the nearest window, crowding to see what was happening, and were greeted with the sight of an army marching in from the east. Kent had cursed aloud upon seeing them. "Laus!" he growled.

"Impossible!" Sain cried. "I wash my hair daily!"

Kent smacked him. While the followers of St. Elimine supported nonviolence when possible, Lucius found he couldn't blame him.

A page had quickly arrived to ask them to come to Lord Hausen's chambers, only to find they were already heading there. The three of them made their way there in minutes to find it already crowded with the highest ranking soldiers available. They were disappointingly few. "I'm sorry, milord," one was saying, "but there's nothing we can do. We don't have time to mobilize the troops before they get here; we need to prepare for a siege."

Hausen shook his head. "I'm old, captain. As is this castle. Hundreds of years ago, she might have stood up to an attack like this. Today? We'd be lucky to last a day against a full-scale siege."

The officer paused before lowering his eyes and nodding. "…I fear you have the right of it, my lord."

"They don't have siege weapons," another pointed out. "We do stand a chance."

"And how long do you think it would take them to roll them in?" Hausen asked. "Do you really think Darin would make such a bold move as to attack a fellow house of Lycia and not be prepared to do whatever it takes to see it through? If we fight back, it's only a matter of time before they scale up their efforts."

"Yes," the officer continued, "But in that time, we could try to send word to our allies! Get reinforcements from Pherae, or Ostia!"

"And in the meantime, the soldiers of Caelin will be slaughtered like cattle." Hausen shook his head. "No matter what we do, my friends, the castle is lost. I will take the course that ends in the least bloodshed."

The men were all taken aback. "Sire… you can't mean to surrender!"

"That is exactly what I mean."

Kent stepped forward. "Where is Lady Lyndis? Shouldn't she have a say in this?"

The Marquess of Caelin looked over at the young knight, and sighed. "Ah, Kent. I was wondering when you'd show up."

Kent bowed slightly to his liege. "…I'm sorry, my lord. Forgive my bluntness. But I must ask again; where is Lady Lyndis?"

"She's not here, Kent," the Marquess replied. "And I know what she would say. She'd say she couldn't just back down without a fight, not if there was a chance the castle could be saved. But there isn't. And that, Kent, is why you must take her as far from here as you can."

The knight looked taken aback. "…My lord?"

"I'm an old man, Kent. My heyday lies in the past. The future of Caelin rests with Lyn. I may fall into Laus's hands; I may even fall in battle with the treacherous dogs. But my granddaughter cannot be lost. She must escape, and you must take her. Bring the others with you—Sain, Wil, and Florina. Flee to the south and hide behind the cliffs there. Once the coast is clear, go to the neighboring provinces and petition for reinforcements. We cannot hold this castle, but neither can Laus—not for long, not if our allies are willing to help us."

Kent furrowed his brow. "…And if they are not?"

"…Then House Caelin must live on, even if Castle Caelin falls. Take my granddaughter to safety, Kent. That's an order."

Kent looked down, trying to figure out what to say next, when the door burst open. Lyn dashed through, followed closely by Wil and Florina. The latter stopped when she saw Lucius, and went over to him. "Lucius," she whispered, panting slightly from running, "are you all right?"

"I am," he said, taking her hand. "For now, at least."

Lord Hausen stood, looking at his granddaughter. "Lyn, I…"

"You can't do this!" Lyn cried, her voice betraying both anger and fear. "You can't ask me to flee like a coward and leave you to those… those lice!"

Kent elbowed Sain hard in the ribs before the latter could make any more "louse" jokes.

"I'm sorry, my dear," Hausen said, his voice softening, "but there's no other way."

"Of course there is!" Lyn insisted. "Come with us!"

To the surprise of everyone there, the marquess of Caelin chuckled. "And let these old bones slow you down? I don't think so. Besides, if they took the castle and found me gone, they'd search the surrounding area and find us for sure. This way, they'll consolidate their forces here, and you have a chance to go get help, return, and liberate the castle."

"And find your blood splattered across the throne room?"

"They wouldn't dare kill me. They have no reason to, and if they did, the rest of the League would descend upon them like lightning."

"You can't know that! They've attacked a fellow member of the Lycian League; there's no telling what they will or won't do!"

Hausen sighed. "No, there isn't," he said, his voice suddenly much softer. "Which is why I want you nowhere near here when they come. I can't risk losing you, not so soon after finding you again after all these years." He took her hand in his. "I will see you again, my child. I promise. But you must go, now, before Laus's forces have a chance to surround the castle."

Lyn looked back at the others, looking for support, advice, anything. Kent lowered his eyes. "Lord Hausen… we can't just leave you…"

"You can't just abandon your duty, either," Hausen reminded him. "And your duty is, as it has been for over a year now, to my granddaughter."

Lyn hesitated, but the sounds of the approaching army didn't leave her much time to think over her options. She hung her head in defeat. "We'll find help," she promised. "We'll come back for you, grandfather."

"I know you will," Hausen answered gently. He kissed her on the forehead one last time before pushing her away. "Now, go. I will stay alive, Lyndis, if only so I can see you again. I promise."

Lyn turned and left the room, sniffing back tears, before she had a chance to change her mind. Sain and Wil quickly followed, with Kent trailing slightly behind. Florina also left the room, but stopped just outside the doorway. Lucius was right behind her. "Are you all right?" he asked.

She lowered her eyes. "It just… it doesn't seem fair that this had to happen now…"

"I know," Lucius sighed. "I know…"

"Lucius!"

Kent's call made them both jump. Lucius looked up at the cavalier. "Sir Kent?"

"You'd best come with us. We may need your help."

The monk blinked. "W-What? …Really?"

"Come on, we don't have much time!" The knight turned and darted down the hall. Lucius shared a glance with Florina, but decided to take it in stride and followed after.

They were soon all at the south gate; Kent, Sain and Florina mounted up, the others waiting nervously as a soldier stood ready to open the portal. He looked at them sternly. "We haven't seen any Laus troops between here and the cliffs yet," he said, "but that doesn't mean you have time to dilly-dally. If anyone sees you, they may come after you, so get to safety as soon as you can." He placed his hand on the winch. "Ready?"

A collective nod from the remains of Lyndis's Legion prompted him to hastily open the gate. The group dashed outside, the portcullis falling shut behind them as they moved as quickly as they could towards the south. Sain rode ahead, looking around the landscape. He turned back to the group. "All looks clear from-"

A volley of arrows suddenly sprung from a nearby grove of trees; the knight let out a startled cry and barely managed to pull away his horse in time. The arrows thudded into the ground where he once stood as a group of Laus's archers emerged from the trees, readying a second attack.

Kent and Sain charged them, lances lowered, when they were diverted by a pair of swordsmen striking out from another grove of trees. Wil readied his own bow and began firing, as Lyn drew her sword and prepared to engage the enemy. Florina was about to take to the air when Lucius called out to her. "Florina, stop! Wait until the archers are taken out; it's too dangerous to fly while they're around."

Florina looked at him, but before she could word her response, a look of pure terror crossed her face. "Lucius!" she screamed. "Look out!"

Lucius didn't have a chance to look puzzled, as an absolute brute of a man slammed into him from behind. Lucius flew several feet before landing roughly on the ground, the wind knocked completely out of him. He rolled over to spot his assailant, a tall, sinewy man wielding an ax and wearing uncomfortably little. He grinned, spinning his ax in his hands as he readied another attack. Lucius peered at the man, sensing something familiar. "Wait," he said, "aren't you…"

The man attacked before he had a chance to finish his thought. Lucius scrambled to get up, but could tell he wouldn't be able to get out of the way in time. He was about to raise his arms and try and cast a spell when he spotted a flash of red hair and grey steel. Before anyone could react, a sword swished through the air, blocking the ax before it had a chance to touch Lucius. A well-placed kick from the sword's wielder sent the axeman stumbling back, as Lucius rose to his feet and faced the swordsman. "Raven?"

"I was wondering where you'd run off to," Raven growled back. "Figures you're just getting in trouble."

Lucius nodded. "My apologies, my lord."

"Yeah, well…" Raven trailed off, losing his train of thought as he peered at the axe wielder. "Wait… isn't that…?"

"I think so, yes," Lucius replied.

The mercenary's eyes widened. "Son of a-! That's the bandit leader that attacked us before! …Twice!"

"He does appear to have it in for us," Lucius agreed.

"So he was working for Laus all along?" Raven growled as the man started charging towards them again.

"More likely," Lucius shouted, jumping out of the bandit's path, "They hired him to help in the attack." He didn't say anything else, as he was too busy chanting. There was a sudden bright light and loud noise; when they could see again, the man was doubled over in pain.

"Well, it's about time I paid you back!" Raven shouted. His sword arched through the air, but even though he was practically on the ground, the bandit managed to lift his ax in time to deflect the blow. Raven's second strike was equally ineffective; the impact from the bandit's block sent Raven reeling, giving his antagonist another chance to attack.

That chance was snatched away, however, when another light magic spell blasted him in the back. He spun around as Lucius prepared another spell. Before the monk could attack, though, the bandit produced another, smaller ax, tossing it at the monk with surprising force. Lucius dove out of the way, but too late, and his leg suddenly felt as if it were afire as a large gash appeared in it. He cried out in agony as he hit the ground hard; while the wound wasn't fatal, he could barely move his leg from the pain.

He rolled over and tried to get up, but the bandit was already on top of him. He let out a roar, raising his ax in the air, when a javelin suddenly sprouted from his chest. A shocked look crossed his face and he let out an odd gurgling noise before collapsing to the ground, revealing Florina standing behind him, standing back up after hurling the javelin with all her might.

She ran over to him, kneeling beside him as he tried to rise. "Are you all right, Lucius?"

He shook his head, gritting his teeth in pain. "My leg… I don't think I can move it…"

Raven ran over as well, stopping at the sight of his friend's wound. "Lucius!"

"I know," the monk breathed. "At least… it's not your leg this time… right?"

Raven grimaced. "I wasn't going to say it…"

Looking around, he saw that the enemy soldiers had been dispatched. Several bore the marks of Florina's lance; still more had Wil's arrows sticking out of them. Kent, Sain, and Lyn were sheathing their reddened swords as they gathered around him. Florina looked up at them fearfully. "It l-looks bad," she stammered. "I d-don't know if he c-can walk…"

"I can't," Lucius growled, struggling to support himself on his elbows. "Not until I have a chance to heal. I'm sorry, but… you'll have to go on without me."

Florina shook her head vigorously. "No. There's no way we're leaving you."

"She's right," Sain said, offering his hand to the injured monk. "Come on, Lucius, I'll take you on my horse. We need to keep moving."

As much as he wanted to agree, Lucius shook his head. "No. I'll slow you down too much. You can't afford to get caught."

"But…"

Florina was interrupted by the sound of approaching voices and clanking army. Kent swore aloud. "Dammit, they're coming this way!" He knelt next to the pegasus knight. "I'm sorry, Florina, but if we don't go now…"

Florina shook her head. "I c-can't…"

"I'll take care of him," Raven said, drawing his blade. "We'll take care of this lot while you get away, and we'll try to catch up to you later."

She looked up at him. "Y-you mean it?"

"I'm not about to let this fool die." He hesitated before adding, "Especially not now that he's got someone other than me to live for."

Lucius reached out and stroked Florina's cheek. "It's all right," he said. "This isn't goodbye."

She sniffed back tears. "I'm sorry, Lucius." She rose immediately and dashed off to her pegasus, riding into the woods. The others followed suite, each casting an apologetic glance back at the monk and mercenary.

Raven turned to face the approaching Laus soldiers. "Can you still cast spells?" he asked, leveling his blade.

"I think so," Lucius replied, reaching for his tome.

"Good. You ready?"

"Of course not."

"Too bad. Here they come."

* * *

Hours later, Lucius sat on a grassy knoll in front of the castle, watching the sun approach the horizon as the evening drew to a close. It had been a long and trying day, and he was doing his best to process everything that had happened. His escape, and subsequent injury; the battle with Laus's forces, and how he was quickly captured. Raven had surrendered upon seeing a blade at his friend's throat, joined Laus upon hearing that Marquess Ostia's brother was among those now attacking the castle, and returned upon meeting a girl who looked remarkably like him. He had given Lucius a vulnerary for his leg, informed him that they now fought for Eliwood, and gone to join the battle; Lucius didn't quite understand, but the fact that he was once again fighting with old friends was good enough for him. He had seen Matthew and Serra, staying surprisingly close together despite their very different responsibilities; he had seen Erk flinging fireballs in defense of the red-haired girl Raven had spoken to; he even saw Dorcas in the company of a similarly huge (but much less restrained) fighter. All of them had been happy to see them, and while the battlefield was no place for a conversation, they had all promised to catch up with him later. More importantly, though, he had seen Kent, Sain, and Wil. Lyn's retainers had managed to get her away from the castle safely, and they were back to liberate it.

Despite the surprise attack, the leg wound, and being held captive in a once-friendly castle, Lucius couldn't deny that the day had ended well. The castle was once again under Caelin's control, and Lord Hausen had been reunited with his granddaughter, both happy just to see each other alive. Lucius had to wonder, though, at the one person he hadn't seen. He hadn't seen her during the entire battle, and despite frantically searching once the castle was secure, hadn't been able to find her. As much as he tried to reassure himself, he couldn't help but worry. It was just a few days ago that he had fallen in love, and now, to be torn apart like this…

A swishing of wings jerked him from his thoughts. He looked up to see a large pair of white wings, dyed orange by the setting sun, slowly descending towards him. After a few seconds, he recognized four hooves underneath the wings, as well as the head of the pegasus itself; he rose to give the creature room to land. It touched down gently, folding its wings neatly against its sides, as its rider dismounted, smiling warmly. "I was worried I would never see you again," she breathed.

"As did I," he said.

She rushed forward and embraced him. "Lucius, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to abandon you like that, but…"

"It's all right, Florina," he whispered. "That doesn't matter now."

They held each other silently for a few minutes before finally drawing apart. Lucius studied her closely; she had several bruises and a few minor wounds, but she seemed to be all right. "I didn't see you in the castle," he said. "I was worried you hadn't returned."

"I'm sorry," she said, lowering her eyes. "When we realized Eliwood was coming, I went to find him, and Laus… the archers…" She looked back at her pegasus. "We're all right now, but Makar was pretty hurt. Lyn told me it would be better if I waited out here, helped deal with any Laus stragglers that might try to attack from behind." She shrugged. "It's not like a pegasus would be able to fly well in a castle, anyway…"

He smiled. "I see. I'm just glad you're all right."

They sat down together, watching the sun set and filling each other in on what had happened since they were separated. While upset by Raven's betrayal, Florina was glad that he had returned to help save Caelin; and, though Lucius was concerned when he heard she had fallen, had to admit that the idea of a pegasus landing on Hector was mildly amusing. Only mildly, though. Florina also told him what she had heard from Eliwood, Hector, and the Ostian spy Leila about the situation.

"So I imagine we're helping Eliwood in his quest now," Lucius mused.

"We have to," Florina sighed. "Laus is defeated, for now, but whatever's going on, whatever this Black Fang group is up to… we can't just let it go on, right? Especially if more people are going to be hurt…" She perked up a little. "You said Raven told you that you work for Eliwood now, right? That means we're all going to Valor together…"

Lucius blinked. "Valor? The Dread Isle?"

"Oh! Right, I forgot to tell you. We're going to Badon to try and find passage to Valor. That's where the Black Fang is, and that's where they're keeping Eliwood's father."

"Valor…" Lucius shook his head. "We've got a long journey ahead of us, don't we?"

Florina hesitated for a moment, just looking at him, before taking his hand in her own and drawing up close to him. "Yes," she said softly, "I think we do."

He looked at her, surprised. "F-Florina?"

She drew back a little. "I-I'm sorry… I d-didn't mean to…"

"N-No," Lucius stammered, "I… it's all right…" He lifted his arm, hesitated, and then slowly, gingerly put it around her shoulders. Florina flinched at his touch, but then settled into it, leaning against him and laying her head on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I guess I'm still getting used to the idea of… of a woman being in love with me."

She smiled contentedly. "I kn-know," she said. "It's weird, but… I got used to the idea that you were a man… then we started growing closer… and now…"

He looked over at her. "Florina?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Are… are you happy?"

She kissed him on the cheek. "Of course."

As the sun set, there was a brief flash. Florina's pendant, two silver wings wrapping around a gem of amethyst, caught the final glow of the sun in a display of radiant beauty before darkness fell. To a certain monk and pegasus knight sitting together on a grassy knoll, however, things couldn't have been brighter.

* * *

_The End...  
_


End file.
